all," she suggested, "in
other things besides the one you mentioned."

Over Roberts' face flashed a momentary smile.

"I told you we were locked in that room together for an hour. He wasn't
lying to me after that time had passed, rest assured. Besides, I wasn't
entirely helpless or surprised. I'd been out in that country myself and
Evans wasn't the only man I had reporting. I'd been waiting for a chance
of this kind from the day the first prospect developed at Goldfield. I
knew it would come sometime--if I waited my chance."

"So you gambled--with every cent you had in the world."

"Yes. All life is a gamble. If I had lost I was only thirty-five and the
earth is big. Besides, to all the world I was still 'old man' Roberts,
not 'Darley.' There was yet plenty of time--if I lost."

"You went West that same evening, you say." The long lashes were all but
touching now. "What then?"

"Yes, with Evans in the same Pullman section and Old Reliable in the
express car forward. I had an idea in my head and followed it out. I felt
as certain as I was of my own name that they'd have scouts out to wire
ahead when Evans was coming; so it wouldn't be any use to get off at an
obscure place. I also knew that the chances were I couldn't get a
conveyance there at once for love or money; so Old Reliable was
already--good and ready. Every tank was full. The tonneau was packed: ten
gallons extra gas, five gallons of water, a week's rations--everything I
could think of that we might need. We'd go through to the end of the
line, all right, but if I could help it we shouldn't wait long after we
got there. And we didn't."

This time the girl did not interrupt, either with comment or gesture;
merely lay there listening.

"Ten minutes after we struck town we were away, under our own power. It
was night, but we were away just the same. And that's where we got the
lead,--a half hour's lead. They knew, all right, that we'd come, fancied
they knew everything--but they hadn't planned on Old Reliable. It took
them just that long to come to and make readjustment. Then the real fun
began. There was no moon, and out on the desert the night was as dark as
a pocket. We simply had to have a light even if it gave us away. Evans
thought he knew the road; but, if there ever was one, before we'd gone
ten miles we'd lost it. After that I drove by compass entirely--and
instinct. But I couldn't go fast. I didn't dare to. For an hour and a
half--the indicator